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Isaimozhi
Lyrics & meaning

Onappu Thattu

From Chinna Jameen · 1993

Lyricist
Vaali
Singers
Ilayaraja, Swarnalatha
Music director
Ilayaraja
Details
Chinna Jameen1993

Lyrics & meaning

Tanglish lyrics English translation
Chorus
Drrrrrrrrr….drrr..drrrrrr….Drrrrrrrrr….drrr..drrrrrr….
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!
Female
Santhana pattu melaakkuA sandalwood-tinted silk shawl,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Pombala pola pothikkaTo wrap yourself up like a woman,
Neeyum aasaiyaaDo you desire that too?
Oru poovaiyum vechuPut a flower in your hair,
Pottaiyum vechu pesaiyaaWear a bindi and speak, my prince!
Female
Pozhuthaana aduppoothumWhen dusk falls, blowing on the hearth,
Potta pulla nee thaanYou are just like a timid girl!
Inimelae idhu polaFrom now on, like this,
Unakku onnum thaevai illaYou do not need anything!
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!
Female
Porantha idam periya idamThe place you were born is a grand house,
MaranthuteeyaeYet you forgot it!
Pozhuthannaikkum kuzhanthaiyai polAll day long, like a child,
IrunthuteeyaeYou just remained!
Female
Thariyama edhirthu nikkaTo stand up courageously and face things,
TherinjikaiyaaDid you learn how?
Thalaimuraiyin perumaigalaiThe pride of your lineage,
PurinjikkaiyaaDid you understand it, my prince?
Chorus
Akka thaan pakkaavaaElder sister spoke perfectly,
Sonnanga kelaiyyaListen to what she said, sir!
Makkaaga nikkathae neeDon't just stand there like a fool!
Veeranai pol sooranai pol maaridanumYou must turn into a warrior and a hero!
Vengaiyai pol nee ezhunthu seeridanumYou must rise up and pounce like a tiger!
Male
Vanthaval ellam akkavaIs every woman who comes along an elder sister?
Pottathu ellaam sokkavaIs everything worn pure gold?
Poda po naan thaanGet lost, I am who I am,
Iva sonna ketkanumaShould I listen to what she says?
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!
Female
Pozhuthaana aduppoothumWhen dusk falls, blowing on the hearth,
Potta pulla nee thaanYou are just like a timid girl!
Inimelae idhu polaFrom now on, like this,
Unakku onnum thaevai illaYou do not need anything!
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!
Female
Oru kiliyo unna nenachiA parrot-like girl thinks of you,
UrugathaiyaaAnd melts away, my prince!
Manasula thaan una varanjiDrawing your image in her heart,
MaruguthaiyaaShe pines for you, my prince!
Female
Thala thalanu valarnthirukkuShe has grown up so lush and lovely,
TheriyaliyaaDon't you see it?
Thavikkirathum thudikkirathumHer struggling and throbbing desire,
PuriyaliyaaDon't you understand it?
Chorus
Annachi akkavaBrother, marry
Kannalam kattikoMy elder sister!
Kann vecha un mela thaanShe has set her eyes on you,
Naayanathai naangal ellam oothugiromWe will all play the Nadaswaram pipe!
Ayyarai pol manthirathai odhugiromWe will chant mantras like priests!
Male
Othaiyil nippaen ennalumI will stand alone forever,
Vendiyathilla kannaalamI do not need any marriage!
Pesathae ingaeDon't speak here,
Unga akka sangathiyaAbout your elder sister's matter!
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!
Male
Pozhuthaana aduppoothumWhen dusk falls, blowing on the hearth,
Potta pulla nee thaanYou are just like a timid girl!
Adi aathi ena maathiOh my, no one can change me
Vechavanga yaarum illaeAnd tame me like that!
Female
Onnappu thattu bullaackuA gold-plated nose ring,
Vaangi thaaren raasaiyaI will buy and give you, my prince!
Kaathula onnuOne for your ear,
Mookula onnu mattaiyaaAnd wear one on your nose!
Adhai appadi konjamShake it a little that way,
Ippadi konjam aattaiyaaAnd a little this way!

Beyond the translation

Song interpretation

This song is a playful, high-energy teasing and motivational track from the 1993 Tamil movie 'Chinna Jameen'. The villagers/friends mockingly tease the male protagonist—a young heir to a grand zamindar family—for acting naive, passive, and timid. They sarcastically offer to buy him women's jewelry like nose rings, silk sarees, and flowers, telling him that he acts like a shy girl hiding by the stove rather than stepping up to claim his rightful heritage.

Writing craft

Poetic devices

Iyaipu (End Rhyme)

Kaathula onnu / Mookula onnu mattaiyaa / Adhai appadi konjam / Ippadi konjam aattaiyaa

The repetitive ending sounds 'iyaa' across chorus lines create a rhythmic, folk-style musical cadence.

Upamai (Simile)

Veeranai pol sooranai pol maaridanum / Vengaiyai pol nee ezhunthu seeridanum

Compares how the hero ought to behave—like a warrior, a hero, and a pouncing tiger (vengaiyai pol)—to encourage courage and strength.

Metaphor (Uruvagam)

Oru kiliyo unna nenachi urugathaiyaa

Refers to the heroine metaphorically as a 'kili' (parrot), representing youthful innocence and beauty.

Monai (Initial Rhyming / Alliteration)

Porantha idam periya idam / Maranthuteeyae

The initial sounds 'Po' and 'Pe' in 'Porantha' and 'periya' create internal phonetic harmony.

Did you know?

Trivia

'Chinna Jameen' (1993) stars Karthik, Sukanya, and Vineetha. The film's music was composed by Maestro Ilaiyaraaja, with lyrics penned by Vaali. The song relies heavily on traditional Tamil rural folk banter, where villagers mock a shy hero to spur him into standing up for his lineage and accepting a romantic match.

Keep listening

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